Feed means for component mounting machines



Oct. 20, 1959 w. E. STOLECKI ETAL 2,908,909

FEED MEANS FOR COMPONENT MOUNTING MACHINES 15 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Feb. 13, 1957 By their Attorney 41/:

Oct. 20, 1959 w. E. STOLECKI EI'AL FEED MEANS FOR cowonsm' uoum'mc MACHINES Original Filed Feb. 13. 1957 15 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 20, 1959 w. E. STOLECKI ETAL 8,

FEED MEANS FOR COMPONENT MOUNTING MACHINES Original Filed Feb. 13, 1957 15 Sheets-Sheet 3 w. STOLECKI ETAL 2,908,909

FEED ms FOR cowomsu'r uoummc mamas 1,5 Sheets-sheaf. 4

Original Filed Feb. 13, 1957 Oct, 20, 1959 w. 5. STOLECKI ETAL 0 FEED MEANS FOR COMPONENT MOUNTING MACHINES Original Filed Feb. 13, 1957 F15 Sheets-Sheet 5 Oct. 20, 1959 w. E. STOLECKI ETAL FEED MEANS FOR COMPONENT MOUNTING MACHINES 15 Sheets-Sheet 6 Original Filed Feb. 13, 1957 w. E. STOLECKI ETAL I 2,908,909 FEED MEANS FOR COMPONENT MOUNTING MACHI NES 15 Sheets-Sheet 7 Original Filed Feb. 13, 1957 Oct. 20, 1959 w. E. STOLECKI ETAL 2,908,909

FEED MEANS FOR COMPONENT MOUNTING MACHINES Original Filed Feb. 13, 1957 15 Sheets-Sheet 8 w. E. STOLECKI EI'AL FEED MEANS FOR COMPONENT MOUNTING MACHINES Original Filed Feb 1:, 1957 Oct. 20, 1959 15 Sheets-Sheet 9 Oct. 20, 1959 v v w. E. STOLECKI ETAL 08,

- FEED MEANS FOR COMPONENT MOUNTING MACHINES Original F iled Feb; 15, 1957 15 Sheets-Sheet 10 Oct. 20, 1959 w. E. STOLECKI ETAL FEED MEANS FOR COMPONENT MOUNTING MACHINES 15 Sheets-Sheet 11 Original Filed Feb. 13, 1957 Oct. 20, 1959 w. E. STOLECKI ETAL v A 2,908,909

' FEED MEANS FOR COMPONENTYMOUNTING MACHINES Original Filed Feb. 13, 1957 15 Sheets-Sheet 12 Oct. 20, 1959 w. E. STOLECKI ETAL 2,908,

man unms FOR COMPONENT uouu'rmc umcnmss Original Fiied Feb. 13, 1957 15 Sheets-Sheet 13 Oct. 20, 1959 w. E. STOLECKI EIAL 2,908,909

FEED mus FOR COMPONENT MOUNTING MACHINES Original Filed Feb. 13, 1957 15 Sheets-Sheet 14 Oct. 20, 1959 w. E. STOLECKI Erm. 2,908,909

man MEANS FOR coMPoNENT MOUNTING mums Original Filed Feb. 13, 1957 15 Sheets-Sheet 15 2,908,909 Patented Oct. 20, 1959 I cc FEED MEANS FOR CUMPONENT MOUNTING MACHINES i William E. Stolecki, Beverly, Vincent P. Romeo, Danvers,

Charles P. Cardani, Hamilton, and Charles K. Woodman, Beverly, Mass, assignors to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N .J., a corporation of New Jersey Original application February 13, 1957, Serial No. 640,010. Divided and this application August 5, 1953, Serial No. 753,233

13 Claims. (Cl. 1-100) This invention relates to machines for mounting components, and more particularly to machines for feeding, centralizing, forming and then inserting the oppositely extending leads of successive electronic components in work pieces such as circuit boards. The invention is more especially illustrated herein as applied to a machine adapted to secure on a circuit board components which have been belted in row formation and have body dimensions up to about one inch in diameter or thickness and up to about three inches in length. Accordingly, while it will be recognized that the exemplary machine shown herein is capable of installing axial lead type electronic components larger than those characteristic of the commercial half and one watt resistor sizes (as well as components of those sizes), it is to be noted that in its various aspects the invention is not limited in use to the illustrative machine, nor to operation on linked components or on components of any particular size or type, but may even be applied to machines for installing nonelectrical components.

This application is a division of our application, Serial No. 640,010, filed February 13, 1957, and is more particularly concerned with those aspects of the invention pertaining to the automatic and continuous feeding of the components to the means for successively forming and inserting them.

In a copending application, Serial No. 458,312, filed September 27, 1954, in the names of Leon' D. Alderman, Charles P. Cardani, Edwin S. Kant, and Henry B. Kim ball, there is disclosed a machine for installing axiallead type components. That machine, Whether operated individually or at one of a series of stations on'an auto matic, conveyorized assembly line such as is disclosed, for example, in United States Letters Patent No. 2,772,- 416, granted December 4, 1956, in the names of Adolph S. Dorosz and Thomas W. Snow, has been found to be of great value in rapidly cutting, forming and inserting the coaxial leads of what may be termed the smaller electronic components, i.e., one-half and one watt resistors and the like. These smaller components normally have bodies of one-quarter inch in diameter or less and are one inch or less in length. When electronic components of larger size are to be mechanically fed andformed, new problems incidental to their control arise necessitating novel techniques for insuring their connection into the circuits in reliable manner. Among the difficulties usually encountered in dealing with the larger components may be mentioned the eccentricity with which their leads extend from their bodies, the irregularity of their body shapes and measurements and the heavier protective coatings of wax and other materials which make feeding and positioning diflicult.

In view of the foregoing, itis a: primary object, of this invention toprovide an improved machine for installing components, said machine to be versatile, highly dependable in performance, and particularly well adapted to effect installation of both the smaller components and the larger components having body dimensions of up to about one by three inches. To this end, and in accordance with various novel features of the invention, there is provided, in combination with means for forming and inserting the leads of successive components in a work piece, this means being adaptable to form the leads of a component with selected leg spacing, component feeding mechanism including lead centralizing means for presenting each component with its leads alined and predeterminedly positioned with respect to the forming and inserting means of a machine shown herein by way of illustration.

Other features of this invention reside in the provision, in a component inserting machine of the type having a raceway for guiding belted components to forming and inserting instrumentalities, of mechanism for centralizing the leads of each component while transferring it to the forming instrumentalities, means for stripping successive components from belted relation in the raceway to advance them to the centralizing mechanism, and means for operating the centralizing and stripping mechanisms in time relation to the operation of the forming and inserting instrumentalities.

Further features of the invention consist in the provision of novel means for introducing successive components from a belted condition into a position to be operated upon by forming and inserting tools, the last-named means comprising movably mounted, V-shaped elements arranged releasably to receive the leads of each component, power means for cyclically oscillating the V-shaped elements to transfer each component into position to be operated upon, and mechanism controlled by the power means for stripping a component from belted relation each time the V-shaped elements are retracted from the tools to receive a previously stripped component to be inserted.

The above and other features of the invention, including novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more fully described with regard to an illustrative component inserting machine in which the invention is embodied and with reference to the'acco'mpanying drawings thereof, in which:

Fig. -1 is a view in side elevation of an exemplary machine in rest position for installing componentson circuit boards; i

Fig. 2 is a view of the machine head as seen in Fig. 1 and on a larger scale;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line IIIIII in- Fig. 2 and indicating means by which the machinehead is removably clamped to the main frame;

Fig. 4 is a further enlarged view of tape feeding means and the lower portion of the head shown in Fig. 2 but at a different stage in its cycle, portions being broken away to show details of construction, and a component being deposited into mechanism for presenting it to lead centralizing and forming means in the head;

Fig. 5 is a View corresponding to Fig. 4, but at that stage in a cycle of operations when a component has been presented to the lead centralizing and forming means; '0

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of lead centralizing parts in operating position;

Fig. 7 is a section taken on the broken line VIIV1 I of Fig. 4, the raceway and certain parts associated therewith being omitted to reveal other structure;

Fig. Sis an exploded perspective view of thecomponent presenting mechanism and the cooperative lead forming andinserting elements;

Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective and enlarged view of an insideformer and associated parts shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is an exploded perspective gar a portion of componentfeeding and tape stripping means;

:Fig. 11 is a horizontal section taken through four J reversible guides constituting the raceway shown 1n Fig. 10;

Fig. 11a is a view similar to Fig. 11, but showing a revised arrangement of two of the guides preferred when leads extend in other than coaxial relation from component bodies;

Fig. 12 is a section corresponding with that of Fig. 11, but indicating the guides in rearranged position for accommodating a shorter component than shown in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a typical cylindrical component such as a resistor or condenser to be installed by this machine, full lines showing the way in whic h initially crooked leads project from eccentric polnts 1n the ends of the body, dotted lines indicating the lead centralizing and straightening performed in the machine prior to forming for insertion, and other dotted lines showing the centralized leads when cut and inserted, but not clinched;

Fig. 14 is a view in side elevation, as seen from the side opposite to that shown in Fig. 1, and showing adjustability in the mounting of the raceway guides to accommodate different diameters or thicknesses of component bodies;

Fig. 15 is a view looking in the direction of an arrow XV in Fig. 14, and illustrating adjustability in the mounting of the raceway guides for accommodating component bodies of different lengths;

Fig. 16 is a section taken on the line XVI-XVI of Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is an exploded perspective view of the parts comprising the component presenting and lead centralizing means;

Fig. 18 is an exploded perspective view of the tape and component feeding means and showing its operating connection and disengaging means, the parts being in positions corresponding to those shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 19 is an enlarged vertical section of the base of the machine shown in Fig. 1, including anvil mechanism for securing an inserted component on the circuit board;

Fig. 20 is a vertical section of a pressure buildup valve shown in Fig. 1 for operating the anvil mechanism shown in Fig. 19;

Fig. 21 is a view in elevation on an enlarged scale and partly in section showing the anvil mechanism of Fig. 19 as seen from the front of the machine;

Fig. 22 is a plan view of the anvil mechanism of Fig. 21;

Fig. 23 is a detail view in elevation and partly in section showing a component inserted by the machine and about to be clinched;

Fig. 24 is a view in side elevation and partly in section, with a portion broken away, corresponding to parts shown in Fig. 4 and as adapted to deal with mica-mold type components;

Fig. 25 is a view corresponding to a portion of Fig. and showing the mica-mold component after being presented from its position indicated in Fig. 24;

Fig. 26 is a perspective view of a mica-mold type capacitor after being installed in a wiring board by the machine, but before lead clinching; and

Fig. 27 is a schematic wiring diagram showing a con.- trol system for the illustrative machine when mounted in an automatic conveyorized assembly system.

The illustrative machine, like that disclosed in the Alderman et al. application mentioned, is shown and: described herein as adapted for automatic operation at a station of a conveyorized assembly line of the type disclosed in the Dorosz et al. patent referred to above, but is, with minor modifications, also suitable for independent operation under manual control or indeed in other automatic assembly systems. Also, though operatron of the illustrative machine will be explained assuming that the components are fed by means of asingle tape belting their bodies in row formation, it will be understood that the components may be otherwisegconnected, or the components may simply be fed one-byone into a raceway or directly to component feed carriage means mounted on the machine. Any suitable supporting means may be employed for holding a work piece such as a circuit board 30 (Figs. 1, 13 and 23) in appropriate component receiving position, it sufiicing for present purposes merely to show the board mounted on supports, 32, 32. Accordingly, work carrying pallets, together with means for clamping them at conveyor stations, are not herein shown.

The machine includes a main, hollow, 'C-shaped frame 34 (Figs. 1, 2 and 19) housing in the front of its base later-described lead clenching mechanism generally designated 36 (Figs. 19 and 21 to 23), and at the rear of its base an air motor 38 (Figs. 1 and 19). The latter is provided with a vertically movable piston 40 and connected via a pipe 42 to a source of air under pressure for operating a piston rod 44 heightwise against the resistance of a return spring 46 (Fig. 1). The head of the machine is generally designated 48 (Figs. 1, 2. 4 and 5) and removably clamped to an overhanging portion of the frame 34 as will be explained. For operating lead cutting, forming and inserting instrumentalities of the head 48, the rod 44 is threaded into a link 50 (Fig. 1), the upper end of which is pivotally connected to one end of a lever 52 fulcrumed at 54 in the frame 34. Depending from the other end of the lever 52 is a, link 56 slidably extending through a bore formed in the frame and threadedly carrying a nut 58 for engaging the frame and thus determining the limit of clockwise movement, as viewed in Fig. 1, of the lever 52 and a lever 68 operated thereby. This lever 60 is also fulcrumed at 54 and its initial angular relation to the lever 52 is adjustably determined by a screw 62 threaded through the lever 60 and engaging the lever 52 endwise. A screw 64 slidably extending through a slot (not shown) formed in the lever 60 is threaded into the lever 52 and serves to move the lever 60 clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 1, when the spring 46 is permitted to move the lever 52 clockwise. A pivot pin 66 (Fig. 1) in the front end of the lever 60 connects the latter to a ball-ended link 68 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) which is nested in the upper end of a component inserting bar 70 (Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 8) and secured thereto I by a spherically recessed plate 72 (Figs. 2 and 3).

The head 48 next to be described, upon removal of the pin 66, is completely detachable from the frame 34 and thus renders its parts accessible for inspection or repair, as well as conveniently enabling a head to be interchanged with another when desired. For this purpose a cylindrical sleeve 74 (Figs. 2 and 3), constituting the upper portion of the head, is provided with upper and lower supporting flanges and detachably clamped in a semi-circular bearing formed in the overhanging portion of the frame 34, an arcuate bearing clamp 76 pivoted on the frame at 78 (Fig. 3) being swingable into latching position by means of a rod 80 pivoted on the clamp. The rod 80 (Figs. 2 and 3) has threaded thereon a handle 82 having one end arranged, when the clamp is closed and the rod 80 is lowered into horizontal position, to engage an arcuate surface 84 of a latch 86 secured on the frame 34. Thus not only may the machine as a whole be positionally adjusted at its operating station by any suitable means, but the head 48 by itself may, upon unlatching the clamp 76, be pivoted about a vertical axis to insure registry of the leads as formed in the machine with lead receiving points or holes in a work piece such as the circuit board 30.

Secured to the lower flange of the sleeve 74 is a head casing 88 (Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5) generally U-shaped in cross section and largely enclosing the lead cutting, forming and inserting tools about to be described. The rearward open portion of the casing is bridged by a cover plate 90 (Figs. 2 and 7) secured thereto thus providing a vertical guideway for the inserting bar 70. The tools ppd their operations resemble to some extent those in the cited Alderman et a1. application, but important distinctions will be noted which simplify construction, afford added range in adjustability, and are especially adapted to enable the machine to deal with irregularities and inconsistencies often common to larger, commercially available axial lead components. In order to sever the leads L, if need be, of each component C to be inserted, a knife holder 92 (Figs. 4, 5 and 8) is mounted for vertical reciprocable movement on the rearward side of the inserting bar '70 and is controlled by the cyclical operation of the latter. For this purpose, a pair of shear bars 94, 94 (Fig. 8) are respectively secured to the holder by tongue and groove arrangement for widthwise adjustment, clamping bolts 96 threaded into the bars extending in horizontal slots 98 formed in the holder, and the holder is releasably coupled to the bar 70 to partake of its vertical movement. Thus the upper end of the holder is formed with a bore 100 of a size adapted to accommodate a major portion of a ball-type detent 102. As shown in Fig. 2, when the shear bars are in their retracted or rest position, this detent is nested partly in the bore 100 and partly in a sperical recess 104 formed in the rear side of the inserting bar 70. The holder 92 is accordingly caused to descend with the inserting bar until the bars 94, 94 have cut the leads of a component (which is presented by means herein later explained) in cooperation with surfaces 106, 106 of a pair of shear blocks 108, 108 (Figs. 4, 8 and 17), respectively. The arrangement is such that when the leads have been trimmed and the holder 92 arrested by its surface 110 (Fig. 8) engaging a block 112 secured to the cover plate 90, continuous downward movement of the inserting bar 70 is permitted, the ball detent 102 being cammed rearwardly and partly into a spherical recess 114 (Fig. 2) formed in the cover plate. The shear bars 94 are preferably formed with V-shaped centralizing notches 116, 116 (Fig. 8), respectively, in accord with the teaching of United States Letters Patent No. 2,748,388, granted June 5, 1956, in the name of Charles P. Cardani. To enable the surfaces 106 to be adjusted widthwise, i.e., in the direction of the length of the leads of a component, for register with the shear bars 94, each of the blocks 108 has a tongue portion slidable in a horizontal groove of the cover plate 90 and provided with a series of threaded bores 118 one of which receives a screw 120 extending through the plate.

Cooperating with the component presenting means above referred to and hereinafter to be explained, is an inside former unit generally designated 122 (Figs. 4, 8 and 9) consisting of an inside former lever 124 pivoted on a pin 126 in the cover plate 90, a spacer block 128 secured to the lever 124 by a pair of screws 130 (one shown in Fig. 4), and a pair of inside formers 132, 132 secured to the ends respectively of the block by a screw 134 (Figs. 4 and 9) and two locking pins 136. Normally the block 128 and its formers 132 will be removed as a unit when a component of different size is to be formed and which calls for a block 128 and formers of different size, although it will be appreciated the same formers 132 may, if desired, simply be shifted onto a spacer block having a different size or adapted to provide a different leg spacing. A flat-headed screw 138 is adjustably threaded into the block 128 and serves as a positioning stop for the body of a presented component having leads to be centralized and then cut and formed for insertion. As indicated in Figs. 4 and 5, prior to and during lead cutting and forming the upper end of the inside former lever 124 is, by means of a tension spring 140 connecting it to the plate 90, yieldingly urged counterclockwise and held in engagement with the flat rear side of the inserting bar 70, the plate 90 being formed with a clearance opening for the lever.

Slidably mounted for vertical reciprocation on the front side of the inserting bar 70 and within the casing 88 is a holder 142 (Figs. 4, 5 and 8) to which screws 144 adjustably secure an outside former unit generally designated 146 and selected to cooperate with a particular inside former unit 122. The outside former unit consists of a spacer block 148 having a pair of vertically grooved outside former legs 150, 150 screwed respectively to its opposite ends. An inserter unit 152 (Fig. 8) is provided with legs arranged to bear on the shoulders of formed leads and accordingly is selected to correspond with the size of component being dealt with, and secured by a screw 154 to the lower end of the inserting bar 70. Initially, and during the lead cutting operation, the outside former holder 142 is caused to descend with the inserting bar 70, a ball detent 156 (Figs. 2 and 8) being nested partly in a bore 158 formed in the holder 142 and partly in a spherical recess 160 formed in the front side of the inserting bar. After the outside formerlegs 150 have formed the cut leads in staple fashion in cooperation with the inside formers 132, the outside former holder 142 is arrested in its downward movement by engagement of its bottom face with a pair of spaced stops 162, 162 (Figs. 4 and 7) secured to the bottom of the casing 88, the ball detent 156 now being cammed forwardly to occupy the bore 158 and a spherical recess 164 (Figs. 2 and 4) formed in an insert 166 secured to the casing, and thus permitting uninterrupted descent of the inserting bar 70 and the unit 152 to install a formed component. The lower limit of the inserting movement is positively determined by a later-mentioned cross rod 168 (Fig. 19) carried by the link 50 and arranged to abut a stop 170 fixed in the frame 34.

The means by which successive components are presented onto horizontal surfaces of the inside formers 132 and have their leads centralized with respect to their bodies so as to be properly positioned for the subsequent cutting, forming and inserting operations described, will now be explained. It will be understood that any suitable electrical control system may be employed, the one shown in Fig. 27 indicating how the illustrative machine may be connected to said Dorosz et al. conveyor control system as disclosed in its parellel arrangement which is fully described in a copending application, Serial No. 545,765, filed November 8, 1955, in the names of Harold W. Bishop and Basil A. Strout. As herein shown, a solenoid valve S2-A (Figs. 1 and 27) is energized (for example by the control system later explained) to admit air under pressure via a hose 172 (Fig. 1) to the upper end of an air cylinder 174 (Figs. 1 and 2) supported by a bracket 176 projecting from the plate 90. As a consequence, a piston 178 (Fig. 2) in the cylinder is caused to lower its rod 180 and a forked link 182 threaded thereon. This forked link is pivotally connected to a yoke 184 fulcrumed on coaxial pins 186 in the casing 88, the yoke accordingly pivoting clockwise as viewed in Fig. 2 and acting through a pair of spaced, parallel arms 188, 188 (Figs. 2 and 4) to rotate clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 2, a pair of corresponding triangular levers 190, 190 (Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 18) respectively, pivotally connected by pins 191 to the opposite and lower sides of the casing 88. The levers 190 each carry a roller 192 slidably received in a slot 194 formed in a pitman 196 (one only shown in Figs. 2, 4, 5, 17 and 18) depending from each of the pins 186. It will accordingly be noted that the mentioned clockwise movements of the yoke and the levers 190 impart a counterclockwise (as viewed in Fig. 2) movement to the pitmans 196 which is thus effective to cause the carriage feeding or component presenting means mounted on their lower ends and about to be described to be transferred rearwardly and oscillated about a horizontal axis from a receiving position shown in Fig. 4 to a presenting position shown in Fig. The lower ends of the pitmans 196 are coaxially bored to receive pivot pins 198 (Fig. 17), respectively projecting from spaced, angular levers 200, the axes of the pins 198 being in alinement with the longitudinal axis ofa component body when supported, as will be explained, and about to have its leads centralized and installed. For effecting oscillation of the levers 200 on the pins 198 simultaneously, each of the levers 200 carries a roll 202 arranged to be received in a cam slot 204 (Figs. 4, 7 and 17) formed in each of parallel cams 206 afiixed to the oppositely extending ends of a bottom portion of the cover plate 90. Accordingly, in presenting a component, the levers 200 pivot clockwise, as viewed in Figs. 2 and 17, about the axes of the pins 198, and similarly swing a pair of parallel support rods 208, 210 which are held clamped in split end portions of the levers 200. For supporting the body of each component to be installed there is adjustably slidable on the rods 208, 210 a pair of arms 212, corresponding ends of which are split to receive the rods and bored to receive clamping screws 214, respectively. The opposite ends of the arms 212 are formed with slots 216 for receiving clamping screws 218, respectively, thus adjustably securing to the arms V- shaped holders 220, 220 which are accordingly adapted to receive a component body with its horizontal axis in predetermined alinement. For preventing displacement of a component body thus received and in the course of its rapid transfer into the head 48 and to be alined in predetermined manner on the now stationary inside former unit 122, a retainer 222 (Figs. 4 and 17) is adjustably mounted in a bore formed on a block 224 clamped on the support rods 208, 210 between the holders 220. It will be understood that the shape of the retainer 222 employed is adapted to the body configuration of the particular component being installed, the retainer shown in Fig. 17 being preferred for use with the rectangular bodies of such components as mica capacitors (Figs. 24 to 26). The block 224 is provided with a latch actuator arm 226 for a purpose later explained. In order further to join and brace the presenting means assemblage being described, a plate 228 (Fig. 17) is secured to the levers 200 and to the block 224 by means of screws 230, respectively, extending between the rods 208, 210.

The component presenting means is adapted to receive components having either alined or non-alined leads which may be eccentric with respect to their body axes and hence includes lead centralizing mechanism better to insure insertions. Thus, a pair of arms 232, 232 adjustably clamped on the rods 208, 210 is provided, respectively, with a lead engaging centralizer portion 234. The latter consists of spaced V-shaped plates 236 disposed to enable them to straddle, as indicated in Fig. 6, an inside former 132. The bottom of the V-shaped surfaces of each plate 236 preferably merges with, or converges into, a U-shaped lead receiving groove 238 (Fig. 17) formed in each plate, these grooves being alined and preferably arranged to determine the position of a lead in coaxial and concentric relation with its component body. An arm 240 having a flat lead deflecting surface 242 is slidably clamped on the rods 208, 210 between each centralizer arm 232 and its adjacent lever 200, the surfaces 242 acting, if need be, during oscillation of the presenting means to insure that lead portions remote from their component body are straightened or moved more nearly into alinement with the axes of their bodies by being pressed rearwardly on the surfaces 106 and against a flat vertical portion 244 (Fig. 8) of each shear block 108. As most clearly shown in Fig. 6, an eccentrically projecting lead portion more nearly adjacent to an end of a presented component body is centralized preliminarily to the lead cutting and forming operations by being double bent, i.e., it is first deflected toward the central axis jointly defined by the grooves 238 and the junction formed by right angular surfaces 246, 248 of the respective inside formers 132, and it is then redirected or centralized along that axis. The junctions of the surfaces 246, 248 are disposed to register presented leads with the path of the inserting bar 70. Depending on the nature of the eccentricity of a lead (two extremes are depicted in Fig. 6), in some instances the inside former surfaces 248 perform the initial de- 8 fleeting, followed by redirecting action as effected by a centralizer plate 236 cooperating with the inside former 132, and in other instances the initial lead deflecting is performed by that centralizer plate 236 closest to the component body, followed by a redirection along the central axis, as determined cooperatively by the inside former 132 in conjunction with both plates 236.

Having presented a component and centralized its leads in the manner explained, the presenting means must be retracted at the appropriate instant for reception of the next component to be installed and to clear the way for operation of the cutting, forming and inserting tools on the component just presented. Provision is accordingly made for retaining the presented component on the inside formers 132 and in body contact with the head of the positioning screw 138 only for the required lead cutting and forming interval, the presenting means being retracted by operation of mechanism hereinafter explained. A body engaging spring finger 250, shown in an inoperative position in Fig. 4, is released therefrom and shifted upwardly into its operating or retaining position shown in Fig. 5 upon downward displacement and unlatching of an arm 252 (Figs. 4, 5, 8 and 9) caused by engagement therewith of the aforementioned actuator arm 226. When in locked or rest position, a shoulder 254- of the arm 252 is yieldingly held in engagement with a lower portion of the inside former spacer block 128, as will be explained. The arm 252 is pivoted at its rearward end on a pin 256 fixed in a roughly L-shaped block 258 (Fig. 9) which is itself pivotally supported on a pin 260 carried by depending forked portions of the inside former lever 124. It is the block 258 to which a rearward portion of the spring finger 250 is adjustably secured by means of a cap screw 262 (Figs. 4 and 5) extending through a clamping block 264, and it is a torsion spring 266 mounted on the pin 256 and having one end abutting the pin 260 which urges the finger 250 toward inoperative position while its other end tends to urge the arm 252 toward latched relation with the block 128. For shifting the spring finger 250 into operating position when the arm 252 is unlatched, a loaded mouse trap torsion spring 268 mounted on the pin 260 and having its ends inserted in vertical bores in the inside former lever 124 bears, by means of its U-shaped midportion, on the rearward end of the block 264 to pivot the latter and thus swing the finger 250 clockwise (as viewed in Figs. 4, 5 and 9) about the pin 260 and into yielding engagement with the component body as shown in Fig. 5.

Retraction of the component presenting means from the component retained by the finger 250 is now effected by further operation of electrical control mechanism previously mentioned only in part. Preliminary to explaining this mechanism, and by way of briefly reviewing the parallel conveyor control circuit disclosed in said Bishop et al. application (reference numerals in Fig. 27 corresponding for convenience to those shown in Figs. 21 and 22 of said application), a system starting switch 364 is closed to energize a coil 366 and close contacts 368, 370, closure of the latter energizing a motor M for driving the conveyor. The conveyor and insertion control circuits are activated by closing a line switch 372, a coil 374 being energized through a normally closed contact 376 of a clamp initiating switch to open a contact 380. This switch is adapted to be actuated by arrival and clamping of a pallet (not herein shown) carrying the board 30 into component receiving position. When all pallets on the conveyor have arrived at their respective stations, the contact 376 (and corresponding contacts of other stations) is opened and a contact 382 is closed. This tie-energizes the coil 374 and causes the contact 380 to close. A coil 386 becomes energized through the eontacts 382-and 380 and consequently contacts 388, 390, and 392 are closed. Closing of the contact 390 energizes a clamping solenoid valve 396 which operates means not herein shown for holding the board carrying pallets in theirfixed component receiving positions. The clamping of the pallets and resulting closure of an: inserter initiating switch 398 on the conveyor energize-the machine driver solenoid valve S3 (designated 122 in said Bishop et al. application) through a circuit which includes a set-up clamping switch 400, a pair of normally closed contacts 402, 406, acontact 404 of a two-position switch, and a normally open contact K13-B. The latter became closed upon energization of a coil K13 through a normally open, held-closed contact M4 (Figs. 2 and 27), said coil K13 also acting to open a normally closed contact K13A for a purpose later explained; With the valve S3 thus energized the motor 38 is eifective to cause the inserting bar 70 to descend to install a component in the cycle of the head 48.

On the start of the inserting stroke, a control switch M1 (Figs. 1 and 27) closes to energize a coil K14 thus closing normally open contacts K14-A, K14-B and K14-D, and opening normally closed contact K14C. The closing of contact K14-A energizes relay coil K15, closing normally open contact K15-A, locking in coil K15, and making power available to the contact K14C which is now open. The closing of the contact K14B illuminates pilot light PL to indicate that the bar 70 has descended from its starting position, the light thus showing that if the bar fails to return to starting position, that particular bar 70 is preventing operation of the conveyor. The closing of the contact K14-D holds the coil 386 energized to maintain the pallet in clamped position until insertion has been completed. When the contact 406 is thereafter opened as a rwult of the de energizing of a coil K2 in the conveyor timing circuit, the driver solenoid S3 is de-energized thus permitting the spring 46 to return the bar 70 upwardly to starting position.

At the full return of the bar 70, the switch M1 opens, de-energizing the coil K14, opening the contacts K14-A, K14-B, K14-D, and closing the contact K14-C. Power is now available at the feed solenoid valve S2-A (Figs. 1 and 27) and, in the course of the descent of the piston 178 to present a component for forming,a normally open, held-closed switch M4 (Figs. 2 and 27) opens to deenergize a relay coil K13, thus closing a contact K13A and opening a contact K13-B. The machine driver solenoid S3 is inoperative until the presenting and feed return cycle is completed. The switch M4 is operated by a contact 270 (Fig. 2) adjustably fixed on a rod 272. The latter is slidably mounted in a housing 274 (Figs. 1 and 2) mounting the switch M4 and secured to the air cylinder 174. For moving the contact 270 and the rod 272 heightwise in accordance with corresponding movement of the piston 178, a link 276 connects the rod to the link 182. At the end of the downstroke of the piston 178 a switch M3 (Figs. 2 and 27) is closed by the contact 270 to energize a relay coil K12, open a normally closed contact K12-A, and close normally open contacts K12-B, K12-C, and K12D. The opening of the contact K12-A de-energizes the solenoid valve S2A; the closing of the contact K12-C maintains the coil K12 energized; and the closing of the contact K12B energizes a feed return solenoid valve SZ-B (Figs. 2 and 27), thus admitting air under pressure into the lower end of the cylinder 174 and causing retraction of the presenting means to component receiving position. During such retraction the switch M3 is opened and switch M4 is closed in preparation for the next feeding cycle.

From the foregoing it will be clear that after a component presenting and feed return cycle has been completed in the manner described, upon reclosure of the switch M4 to energize the coil K13, open the-contact K13-A and close the contact K13B,'the machine driver solenoid S3 becomes operative to initiate a new cycle of the head 48, its cycles thus alternating with those of 10 the presenting means to effect installation of successive components. As a consequence of opening the contactK13A, a hereinafter mentioned solenoid S1 (Figs. 7, 18 and 27) pertaining to tape stripping means later to be described is energized.

At the instant in a cycle when lead cutting and forming have been completed in the manner above described, in order to clear the way for an inserting stroke of the inserting bar 70 the upper end of the inside former lever 124 is caused by the spring to be swung counterclockwise (as viewed in Fig. 5) into a slot 278 formed in the bar 70. Also, mechanism is actuated by the inserting bar '70 for restoring the spring finger 250 from its position indicated in Fig. 5 to its lowest and inoperative position (not shown). For this purpose, as Well as to reload the spring 268 and reset the arm 252 in its locking position, a rounded lower end of the descending bar '70 engages a nose 2841 (Figs. 8 and 9) formed on an actuating lever 282. This lever is carried by a depending resetting lever 284 (Fig. 9) as will now be explained, the lever 284 being pivota-lly suspended from the pin 126. For securing the actuating lever 282 (Fig. 9) to the lever 284, a bushing 286 nested in the lever 282 is provided 'With a squared end slidably received in a slot 288 formed in the lever 284, the bushing being threaded to receive a cap screw 290. An upper slot 292 in the lever 284 is formed to receive a stop block 294 secured to the lever 282 by a cap screw 296. The block is slightly smaller in heightwise dimension to permit a limited relative pivotal movement between the levers 282, 284 which insures, during subsequent upward retractive movement of the inserting bar 70, avoidance of binding action with the nose 280. The lower end of the lever 284 is provided with a vertical slot 298 through which extends a pin 300 that also extends through a bore formed in the block 264. Accordingly, in the course of the inserting stroke, by reason of the counterclockwise movement (as seen in Fig. 5) imparted to the lever 284 through the lever 282 and relatively to the counterclockwise moving inside former lever 124, the pin 300 is effective to cause the block 264 to pivot counterclockwise about the axis of the pin 260, the spring 268 thus being reloaded and the arm 252 relatched. It will be understood that after completing its downstroke to install a component with its centralized leads inserted as shown at c in Fig. 13 (prior condition of the leads being diagrammatically indicated at a and b for comparison), a pair of pickup pins 302, 304 (Fig. 8) doweled in the bar 78, have projecting ends arranged, in the course of its return or upstroke, to engage shoulders 306 (388 (Fig. 8) respectively formed in the outside former holder 142 and the knife holder 92, the latter thus being lifted to their initial heightwise positions and all parts of the head 48 being restored to their starting condition.

As has been indicated, the illustrated machine may be operated as a single unit with or without being mounted at a conveyorized station, and in such instances successive components to be installed may be individually hand fed to the presenting means described, or the machine may be adapted, as will next be explained, to deal automatically with body belted components, this latter feeding system ordinarily being preferred when numerous components of one size are to be inserted. When components are body belted, a single tape T (Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 18) extends transversely of their bodies to bind them in a row and facilitate their storage and consecutive feeding as from a reel 310 (Fig. 1) rotatably supported on an upper end of a bracket 312 (Figs. 1 and 2). This bracket is secured on the head casing 88. As shown in Figs. 2 and 10 the belted row of components is unwound from the reel and extends downwardly through a vertical raceway generally designated 3 14 (Figs. 2, 10 and 15). This raceway is preferably comprised of a pair of tracks 316, 316 (Figs. 2, and 10 to 12) which are adjustably mounted in parallel, spaced relation to a pair of tracks 318, 318 

